Spring loaded variable diameter sheave and drive



Sept.'16, 1952 E. J. OTTO 2,610,516

SPRING LOADED VARIABLE DIAMETER SHEAVE AND DRIVE Filed May 14, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l M ume/B E. J. OTTO Sept. 16, 1952 SPRING LOADED VARIABLE DIAMETER SHEAVE AND DRIVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1949 #0 Q ma;

M 2 W7 w L M 56 ww Sept. 16, 1952 TT 2,610,516

SPRING LOADED VARIABLE DIAMETER SHEAVE AND DRIVE Filed May 14, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 [I H w Patented Sept. 16,- 1952 nnirE o STATES em OFFICE,

.Qhsriiicahoamwa 194e,: Serial no. sense,

.or v-belt.

More particularly the invention resides, in an improvement whereby -springs; are applied to thrust-the frusto-conical belt-engaging surfaces mutually toward. one another, without interfer ingwith. a:-certain, -.degree. 1 of freedom, of, the irustoeconical faced elements to move axially relative to thedriving member with which they are connected, and.- through whichspring means arecaused-to act equally and oppositelyon the opposed frusto-conical surfaced elements.

The-nature of the invention is in the provi-. sion of a structural arrangement involving pulley flange. elements arrangedslidably relative to a sleevelike. member, each flange element being socured tov a tie element which passes slidahly through an apertureinanother flange element, in ;such-a-manner. that spring means acting against therear-faces of two difierent flange 618' merits". may. throu h the-tie elements passing through; such flange elements, act oppositely on the other-of the-two flange elements so that the two flange elements are equally pressed in op" positedirections by the spring means. Thearrangement of the springs to press directly against the rear facesof several pulley flange elements makes possible a compactness and efi ciencyrin design and'constructionand an efiective use of springs-which are productive of many advantages which will become apparent from a reading-here?- of. And other features of construction are combined through theinvention to provide for, effective protection of the actuating springswithout complicationof the structure.

The prior-.art contains disclosures of ;many formsv of movable ,fiange, expansible pulleys, in some of which the flanges are oppositely moved toward one, another by springs against the driving-beltpressure. -I-Iowever, it is believed-that none of the previously knownconstructions provides for such complete freedom of ,the'flanges relative to the driving shaft, coupled with 1 such effective use of springs in a compact arrange ment with perfect equalization of the effect of eachspring on the relatively movable flanges.

The invention is described hereinbelow as em.- hodied' in several closely-related specific constructions. for the purpose of disclosingfullyaand clearly, to persons skilled in the art, how-t0 makeuse and construct the same, and the siescrip- 15; cl ims. (or. jo-gsoin .j, 2 tion. is. illustrated by a draw ng. which li e refereooe..characters. are used to indicate t same or similar par-tsthroughout the, several vi ws, and which: r

Fig- 1, is aview of a multiple groove pulley en oodyingthe invention, shownin section on, a long tud al planethroushtne: a s f. at on;

F is a crosse t n ak n. o th i fl of F g. 1; Fig. 3 is a view pulley with a modifiedspring arrangement;

Fig, o a ew similar-to. 1, of; a sec n modified form of pulley construction;

Fla 5 is. a View simil rto F g- 1 of third modified form of pulley construction; Fi dis a. cross sectiontahon n. li e Vi -VI oi- 5 g v s Fi 7. isa view of a single groov pul ey-en bodying the invention, shown in section on a longitudinal plane through the axis of rotation;

and 1 r L l a 8 is a view of a seconds ngle r o pu ley, s m lar to F g 1 bu w th a modified spr gerrangemen Fig- 2 ist pio oi bot Eiss- 1,. and 3- ia 6 is y a officeno. nd, to. a oer tain degree, Figs. hand 8.

The pulley illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 a rotary power transmission member l,;preferahly nthe fo m of. asl eve,adapted. .for attachmen to the-rota v'sha tqoi a machine driving. or or en'by; hopullev, The'sleeve. e socuredtosuch a shaft not shown) by set screws iii-h l s sh wn, at-2,' and y oonven ionalhey in l ..ior which .keywav. 3 is provided. Tho axt rnalsurf oe oisleeve ljis cy indr al-and pro vidod; with. two conv ntional lon itudinal ke s ways, which keys: 4 and" 5' areheld inv fixed axial nosi ionrasby dowels 6. :Stop' screws land ah vingtheir heads pro ru in radia y from the cylindrica external surface ors eeve l-near oppositeends th reoi. may :also be employed ior re sons. d scribed ihereinloelowthe sleeve 1 are mounted a series of flange elements J2, i3, l4,.l5, l;and ll; Flange, l termedxa 'endhanee and annu ar in f rm with: opening ound d byv SubStan-i tially; continuous cylindrical-bearing surface l8, broken-only by a. conventional. keyway to fit key which extendsenearly togthefleflz end ofsleeve i Fi 1. .K y t 'terrninatesishort of the leftend ,Df-"SlEBl G l'pbya substantial distance. The end ofskeyil will, since flange lilhas nokeyway forfit, serve as a stop preventingmovementxof flange it toward the right end of the sleeve,

similar to Fig- 1;- ot a sim lar 3 beyond the end of the key 4. Flange I1 is an end flange, preferably a substantial duplicate of flange I2, and is located at the opposite end of sleeve I, facing oppositely and rotated 180 about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve I with relation to flange I2. As flange I2 is stopped by key 4, so flange I7 is stopped axially by key 5. Flanges I2 and I1 have frusto-conical belt engaging faces 22 and 21, respectively, mutually facing each other. Intermediate flange I3 has an annular form, but its central opening forms not a full, but rather an interrupted bearing surface of radius equal to that of the external surface of sleeve I, parts of the annulus being arcuately cored or routed out as shown at 28, to a larger radius to provide arcuate apertures (three in number in the illustrated form) equally spaced circumferentially of the central opening of the flange. The solid portions of the flange element I3 between these apertures form what may be called arcuate shoes and are extendedin an axial direction, rearwardly fro m the flange prQper as shown at 30, the shoe extensionswjorming an interrupted ring of circumferentially spaced arcuate lugs serving both as shoesand tie mem-- bers for a purpose to be more fullyfdescribed hereinafter. One such shoe or extension 30 is provided with a keyway toflt key The axial extensions 30 are each of lesser arcuate, and radial dimensions than the spaces 28. Intermediate flanges l l, r I and .16 are essentially identical in construction to flangel3, but flanges I4 and I 6 face oppositelyto flange I3, and are rotated by 180? about the central axis relative thereto, whereas flange I5 faces in the same direction and is axially aligned with flange l3. The axial shoe extensions, or tie members'3l of flange I4 extend between and in the opposite direction axially relativeto extensions 38 of flange I3 and penetrate apertures 28 of flange 13, while extensions 39 penetrate the apertures 32 between the shoe eXtensions 3I of flange 14. The keyway of flange I4 fits key 5. It willbe seen that the extensions 34 of flange l5, and 35 of flange I6, likewise extend in opposite directions and penetrate the aligned aperturesiili and 33, respectively. Flanges I3, I4, I5 and I6 have belt engaging faces 23, 24,"25*and 26, respectively. V

The faces 22 and 23 of flanges 12' and I3 mutually face each other to cooperate in forming 'a belt groove, the faces 24 and 25 likewise cooperate to form a second V-beltgroove, and faces 26 and 2'! form a third belt groove in the pulley illustrated inFig. 1. Flanges I2, I4 and I6 are united mechanically by bolts 40,-the shanks of which pass through suitable holes drilled axially through aligned portions of the three flanges near the sleeve I. It will be seen that the heads of bolts 40 will seat against the 'faceof flange I B, radially inward of its frusto-conical belt engaging face 25, and the nuts on'the opposite ends of bolts 40 will act against the rearface of flange I2, and that the aligned extensions 3| and 35 of flanges I4 and I6 will serve to space the flanges proper so that their frusto-conical faces are maintained in fixed axially spaced relation. The group of flanges I2, l4 and I6 will, however, be axially slidable on sleeve I, except as limited by stops (key 5). The other group of flanges I3, I5 and H, are secured in fixed axially spaced relation, in a similar manner by bolts 4|. The axial lengths of the shoes, or tie extensions 30, 3 I, 34 and 35 will be such that the two groups of flanges may move axially relative to each other and to the sleeve I, through a distance sufficient to provide for a substantial designed change in effective diameter of the belt grooves with respect to a given V-belt width for which the pulley is designed.

The backs of flanges I3, I4, I5 and I3 are annularly recessed as at 43, 44, 45 and 46, and in the annular spaces surrounding the rings of tie extensions SEE-3| and 34--35 are located springs or resilient means, 41 and 48 respectively, in the form of spiral coil springs of rectangular wire spring stock capable of being compressed to a minimum length equal to the width of the stock. Therecesses .43, 44, 45 and 46 are preferably at least as deep as one-half the spring stock width, so that flanges I3 and I4 may be abutted, back to back, in relative axial motion against the resilient pressure of the springs. It will be seen that the rearward face of each of the flanges I3, I4, 55 and I 3 forms aradial abutment acting as a seat for one end of a spring (41, 48).

Where screws 1 and dare used as stops, a suitable recess is provided in the bearing surface I8 of flange I2, and another in'the correspondingsurfaceof flange I], to receive the head of the stop screw, as shown in Fig. These screws will serveas limit stops for each of the two flange groups, relative to the sleeve I.

In operation, the springs 4'1 and 43 will cooperate equally, and; in paralleLin thrusting the mutually facing flangestoward one another so as toenlarge the effective pulley pitch diameter to a maximum. Eachspring will, by virtue of the interdigi-tated tie extensions of the flange groups, act equallyand oppositely on each of the rela-' tively movablegroups. When the belt pressures between the pulley flange faces exceed the minimum yielding load of the two springs 41 and 48, the cooperating flanges will be forced apart against the biasing springs so as to decrease the effective pitch diameter of the pulley. When the flange roups are forced apart, there will be a limited degree of axial freedom of movement of both the flange groups axially relative to the sleeve I, so that underall belt tensions above minimum the whole flange assembly will be capable of self alignment with the companion pulley to which the pulley described will be connected by thebelts.

The pulley shown in Fig. 3 is similar in most respects to that of Figs. 1 and 2, the only substantial difference being in form of spring arrangement. Accordingly all reference characters are the same except that the letter a is sufflxed, and except that different characters are applied to changed elements such as the springs and new elements such as the pins on which the springs are centered' The springs 51 in Fig. 3 are a series of small helical coil springs centered on a circle of pins GI and 62 set in the rear faces of flanges I 3a and I411, respectively, and springs 58 are a similar series of springs centered by pins 63 and 64 set in the rear faces of flanges lea and Iiia, re spectively, The wire size of these springs 51 and 58 may beso chosenwith regard to the depth of recesses in the flanges that the fully compressed spring lengths will not exceed twice the recess depth. The action of the pulley will be identical to that f Fig. 2. V

In all of the above described constructions it will be noted that it is characteristic that fingerlike tie members, such as shoe extensions 30 and 3I, positively secured to oppositely facing flanges are extensible through and beyond another suchflange and that a spring acts oppositely on the rearsurface of one of..these'flanges--and upon an abutment "securedto the: fingerlikeitie members extensible" through it; to urge the twdflanges equallyin. opposite directions.

.TIheHpulley illustrated in Fig. 4 is sufliciently different in-construction from those of Figs.-1-3

that. a different but related system of reference characters .has been employed; using figures in the 100 series similar :inthe last two digits for corresponding. parts of. different form. Owingtd the similarity;theidescription will be kept brief.

s sleeve :IIBI of Fig. 4 is a rotary power transmissionrmember'which may be secured to a shaft as shown; by:a.conventional key and set screw arrangement substantially as shown. Keys' IIM and I flfiserve to guide the assembly or flanges l [2,113, .I'I4, :I:I5, II6..and III. End flange H2 isconnected with :the:sleeve by an annular series of .arcuate F shoes and. shoe extensions I 3 I between which are. apertures I59. .On the rearwardside offlange 'IIZisa'recess I5I oi considerable axial depth andofannular form. Flange H3 has shoe extensions I52 whichtextend through apertures I50 of flange H2 and into therecess'llil. Flange II 4 abuts against the shoe extensions It i of flange II Gris. identical :with that of flange H3 and the construction of'. flange III.is identical with that: offlange H2; .Asin the pulleysof Figs.

' 1+3, the frusto-conical faces -I22 and- I23;

I24, and lityandliifi and .I'ZLmespeactively, form V-belt *engaging'grooves. Flanges HZ, I14 and II 6 are axially-united by screws IEi-in fixed axial- 1y spaced relation and flanges I I 3, II 5- and I l! aresimilarly united by screws It I, the two groups beingslidable axially on the sleeve Ii'iI relative to the sleeve and to each other. Snaprings-IES andJS t are placed in suitable grooves-near the endsof sleeve II'H to prevent-axial removal of thelflange assemblies'from the sleeve. On the ends of. the broken annulus formed bytheends oflshoesexte'nsionsIISZwithin ther'ecess I'til oi flange ,I I2 a snap ring I55 serves toprevent'res moval of'an annular spring-seat wall I56 which surroundsthe'shoe extensions, and between this .wall I 56 and the end of the recess a spiral coil spring I4? is placed in compression; The outer diameter of the spring seat Wallis only slightly less than the diameter of the recess I and serves 7 to-close its outer end and house in-the spring. A,

similar snap ring I55 and spring seat wall I66 are mounted on the ends of'shoe' extensions l 62 which extend from the face of flange "lit through suit. able apertures loll-into the recess IEI of'flan'ge II! and a'spring I48 similar to spring IQiacts equally ando'ppositely cnflange Ill and spring seat wall I86, respectively.

'It will be clearly understood that the action of springs I41 and I48 in the pulley of Fig. 4 is exactly analogous to thatof springs M and d8 of Fig. 1. These springs will act equally and in parallel to force the two groups of flangesinicpposite directions tending to increase thelpitch diameter of the pullely. As in the pulley "of Fig. 1 .thespring means'acts equally and oppositely-on axial tie members secured to two differentlyface 6 ing-i-flanges and extending from one of those flanges through the other.

The pulley ofFigs; 5 and c isso similartothat 1 tween the rearward sides of flanges I I 5a and I lea.

anditherreduction in outer diameter of'the spring seatiwalls' 155a and "lfifiaas compared with seat walls156' and I86, their. counterparts in" Fig. Theseaddedsprings HI. and I12 act inparallel 'witlreach other'andwith springs Idla and IdBa to urge: th pulley...toward its maximum pitch diameterssetting and to oppose reduction of pitch diameten; ."By. the-addition of these-springs, pulley springtension is raised Without'change in design of'flange'or spring units:

:l'The pulley of-Figi'i is a single groovepulley. Reference characters in the 200 series are used which are1similarin' the last two digits-'tothose ofcorresponding parts i'ofthepulley of Fig. 4.. Its sleeve.:2IlI: .is similar in. practically all but vlength withsleeve. IOI ofthe pulley of Fig. 3.. Its

flanges 212 and 2| I are; similar in most respects to theircounterparts IIZ and ill of Fig. 4 except for the :omis'siony'ofz holes" foribolts Hi3 and Mi of Fig. 4 whiclrarelmnecessary'in a single groove pulley, and the provision of suitable grooves 011 shoeextensions: 23I of" flange 2I2 andshoe extensions .235; of flange 2 I I to accommodate i snap rings 255-.and 265 which .hold spring-seat walls255 and 266 in placeonth'e shoe extensions. As in the pulley of Fig. 4, these spring seat walls or abutmentsfltfi 'and'LZfiB substantially close the ends of recesses:25l audit! in the rearwardsides of flanges 2I2 -and. 12H; Springs 2 51- and 2&3 obviously operate..equally,.and in parallel, to urge the frusto-conical faces 222. and 22? toward one another.

.In the-pulley of Fig. 8 there are two variations as compared with the pulley of Fig. '7, namely: .(1) the useof rings of coil springs 341 and 348 in place;o1':their counterparts the spiral spring 24?! and 248 of Fig.7, with appropriate modification of the form :ofspringseat walls 356 and 355, as comparedwithitheir. counterparts 256 and 266,

. in Fig. '7,;:;ai1 i appropriatemodifications in the flanges 3I2- and. 311, as compared with their counterpartsilz and 2H in Fig. 7; and (2) use of a taper bored sleeve 31H andbushing'tfle to secure the sleeve 3M to the shaft. It will be seen thatsuitable spring seat recesses 3'75 and 376 are provided. in seat walls .356 and 366, respectively, and suitable'spring seat recesses S'II and'3I8 in flanges :3I2 and 3I'I, respectively, are provided to locate the ends of springs 341 and 368, and that oonventionalkeys areemployed in the usual mannor to prevent rotation of seat walls 356 and 365 pulleys of two or any'othernumber of grooves more than three can be similarly made, merely by changing the number of pairs of intermediate flanges placed between the end flanges, and employing sleeves and tie bolts (or screws) of sufiicient length.

In all constructions in accordance with the invention it will be preferable to make allshoe extensions or tie members sufiiciently long to permit a certain'designed relative axial movement of cooperating flanges. It will also be desirable to make the axial depths of recesses I] and I6! etc. Sufiicient to equal the desired axial freedom of motion of the sheave groups plus the minimum length of the spring inorder that the springs in such recesses may remain housed within the recesses throughout the full range of motion of the relatively movable groups of flanges. Where, as in the pulleys of Figs. 1, 3 and 5, springs are carried between two rearwardly opposed flanges, it will be preferable to make the recesses in which the springs are seated at least as deep axially as half the fully compressed or minimum compressed length of the springs used so that the adjacent, oppositely facing flanges may be fully backed up against one another in the minimum pitch diameter position,

The term tie means or tie member as used in this specification and the appended claims shall include all forms of positive mechanical connection, whether of the compression or tension types. What is illustrated is, of course, a species of lug or strut, or a series of spacing struts or lugs in alignment and held together by a tie bolt, but obviously there are other generally equivalent mechanical devices for rigidly spacing flanges and for connecting spring abutments on' one side of a first flange, with a second flange on the other side of the first. Several known variants are shown in patents to Jannin U. S. 2,031,712 and Otto et al. U. S. 2,262,197.

The particular embodiments illustrated and described herein are illustrative only; and the invention includes such other modifications and equivalents as may readily occur to others skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1.,In a variable pitch diameter pulley of the type described, a rotary power transmission member having a generally cylindrical external surface; a pair of frusto-conical faced, annular flange elements mounted on said member in slidably contacting relation with respect to said cy-' lindrical external surface so as to be axially movable with respect to said member and each other, said elements being mounted in oppositely facing relation; a plurality of rigid tie means positively connected with and extending axially from each said annular flange element, parallel with the axis of said member and circumferentially spaced thereabout, the said rigid tie'means of each said flange element passing between those of the other said element and through and beyond said other element in axially movable relation thereto; and spring means in the annular space to the rear of at least one said flange element and surrounding said tie means of the other said element of said pair, said spring means being operatively connected at one end with said one of said flange elements and at its other end with said tie means extending therethrough to resiliently urge said flange elements in opposite directions axially relative to each other.

2.'In a variable pitch diameter pulley of the type described, a rotary power transmission member having a generally cylindrical surface; a pair of frusto-conical faced annular flange elements mounted on said memberin coaxial relation and in slidably contacting relation with respect to said cylindrical surface so as to be axially slidable thereon in opposite directions; a series of rigid arcuate lugs positively connected with and extending axially from each of said elements, said lugs being circumferentially spaced about the external surface of said member; each said flange element having arcuate apertures in the spaces between said lugs to accommodate the lugs connected with the other said fiangeelement, in mutually interpenetrating relation; and spring means carried by said flange elements and lugs in the annular space to the rear of at least one of said flange elements and surrounding the lugs connected with the other of said flange elements, said spring means being connected at its opposite ends to and resiliently urging said flange element and the lugs penetrating the same in opposite directions, axially of saidmember.

3. An expansible pulley of the type described, comprising: a rotary power transmission member; first and second elements each having a frusto-conicaL'belt engaging face and an aperture extending therethrough in an axial direction; means connecting each of said elements in coaxial, slidably contacting, nonrotatable relation with respect to said member, in mutually facing relation; first and second tie means, rigidly connected with said first andsecond elements, respectively, and extending axially, in relatively movable relation, through the aperture of the other said element; and first and second spring means, operatively connected with said first and second tie means, respectively, for resiliently connecting first tie means with said second element and for resiliently connecting said second tie means with said first element, said spring means being carried solely by said tie means and said elements so as to be free of any mechanical connection with said member.

4. An expansible pulley of the type described, comprising: a'rotary power transmission member having an external surface with portions substantially parallel to the axis of rotation; first and second elements each having a frustoconical belt engaging face, and an aperture formed to fit said portions of said external surface of said member in axially movable, slidably contacting relation in a manner to locate said frusto-conical face in coaxial relation to said axis of rotation; at least one tie means posi tively connected with and extending axially from each of said first and second elements, respec tively, in the direction of its frusto-conical face and penetrating the other said element; first and second resilient, compressible spring means located to the rear of said first and second elements, respectively; and means operatively connecting said first and second spring means in axially compressible relation between said first element and said tie means of said second elements, and between said second element and the tie means of said first element, respectively, in a manner to resiliently urge the said frusto-com'cal faces of said elements in a direction toward one another.

5. In an expansible pulley of the type described, the combination comprising: a, sleevelike rotary power transmission member; a first annular element having a frusto-conical belt engaging face 1 oppositely movable groups.

i l throu h the spaces 1; between; the :shee V1" means o the ether saidzelementlaxiall -mo with at least one 'sai x l y.wellintadvantefiithe net, of the ann a eleme t tee: and sprin e nsi perativ ly. e t means and-the r lative y ee-ii, meyable faces of said first and seeo delementsm mi l liter? approaching direction.

6. A multiple groove-expansiblepulleythe) type described, comprising a sleevelilge rotary member; at least four frust -ccnic l faeed am nularkb t en a i g le n ec. l a i l v i a er o r a gahle re member. in at least two pairs; of mutually f a ng ins axi y th h ous-h; -z le--ineans-.: nne 9* the similarly facing elements: of successive-pairs in rigidlyspaced relation and extending in axially movable relation through the apertures of the alternate elements, thereby connecting the'elements in two relatively movable groups; a first spring means carried'solely 'bysaid'eleme'nts and tie means to the rear of one said element and resiliently connecting said one element to the tie member extending therethrough in a manner to resiliently urge said tie member rearwardly Ielfi: tive to said one element; and j a secoridQSpring means carried solely by saidtelementsyand tie means'to the rear of another pnelo'fsaid elements and resiliently connecting said-other element to the tie' means extending 'therethrough in .a man! ner to urge said relatively movable tieme'ans rearwardly relative to said other membenlsaid spring means thereby operating in parall'el', onithe 7. In an expansible =pulleyof the type described: a sleevelike hub; ;member; atleastpne pair of: mutually facing frustoconical faced,.;a nnular, belt engaging elements mounted on said hub member, each provided with a circumferentially spaced series of arcuate shoe means radially inward of its frusto-conical face, said shoe means forming an interrupted, hub-member engaging ring, bored coaxially with said frustoconical face to fit'the external surface of said hub member in axially movable, slidably contacting relation; said shoe means being rigidly attached to said elements of said pair and formed to fit in relatively slidable relation in the arcuate spaces between the shoe means of the other element of said pair and to extend a substantial distance axially beyond and rearwardly relative to said other element of said pair, the said shoe means of each said element of said Pair forming an interrupted ring of substantial axial length in the rear of the other said element; an abutment positively connected with the shoemeans of each said element of said pair, the abutment of each said ring of shoe means being spaced rte; sheemeans: .-ci.rcum-;

by: a subs an ial axiatd staneeto th rear qfth ther e emen ro -s i r i and a Pair o i t n m ans n v ua lo ted in he a ular t t surrounding said ringsof shoemeans, said spring ach ,prQ de W-it a se es. o cumi eetia y m i shoe m ans tmie'e iet rmnt q ax ally wi h t r. rn l s f e o a d but m mber- 1 f slidable relation; said arcuate sho e mean e med to ,fit nr lati ely s itia le atiori in the r uatexspaees betw n the-shoe .01": n iaeentsaid ieleinentusaid,sh means ri y nes ing all elemen s wh ch; ace in one irect nin, er iini and all e ment f cin n e; et er. direc iee n anet er group mova e railsm -usto:c0n c 1 face-preach e ement n; ea h srounfa ins i hatoi-w an. element; oi the 1 ent v lonsto pr i iorsubstantialiaxi l move:

p ing. mean. ants and th ir sho means a d ach operatively enga in he rearward;suriae aof;atieastcne saidelement nd. bei iepp rative v ponnejc edrwith ,anel men f amthier. emu-p :by-a said; shoe .imeans tolresi-b' iently n se said re atively mQv-able: groups equally n-iophq z e dire ions relative to ,eachiotheriinlementsyt zwa doneanothe .9; In the device Jot, aclaingiv ,8; the -.cqmbinatiqn site ends insaid recesses in the space radially outward of said rings of shoe means and between the backs of said elements.

10. The device of claim 3 in which each of said first and second elements has, in its rearward side, a cylindrico-annular recess of depth, axial- 1y, at least equivalent to the sum of the minimum axial length of a said spring means and the maximum desired relative axial motion of said elements, into which said tie means, respectively, are extendable; and in which annular spring abutment Walls having an external diameter substantially equivalent to the outer diameters of said recesses are positively secured to said tie means within said recesses; said sprin means being compression springs, held in compression axially and substantially enclosed within said reoessses by said abutment walls.

11. The device of claim 4 in which each of said first and second elements has, in its rearward side, a cylindrico-annular recess of depth,

hu vmemb r;"a Isaa e an e e rad a ly i war o y s. ayhn tr lat ve t said first nam r axially, at least equivalent'to the sum of theminimum axial length of a said spring means and the maximum desired relative axial motion of said elements, into which said tie means, respectively, are extendable; and in which annular spring abutment walls having an external diameter substantially equivalent to the outer diameter of said recesses are operatively secured to said tie means within said recesses; said spring means being compression springs, held in compression axially and substantially enclosed within said recesses by said abutment walls.

12. The device of claim in which said abutment means is an annular spring seat forming Wall; a cylindrico-annular recess being provided in the rearward side of one of said elements adjacent said abutment, of outer diameter substantially equal to said spring seat wall, and of axial depth at least equal to the maximum desired amount of relative axial movement between said elements; and in which said spring means is a compression spring, in compression between and substantially enclosed by said abutment and the walls of said recess.

13. The device of claim 6 in which said one and said other element to the rearward of which are located said first and second spring elements, respectively, are each formed with a cylindricoannular recess of axial depth at least equivalent to the desired relative axial motion between said two groups; in which an annular spring retaining wall is positively connected with said tie means within each of said recesses; and in which said spring means are compression springs enclosed and compressible within said recesses by said annular spring retaining walls.

14. The device of claim 7 in which each said element of said pair has a cylindrico-annular recess formed in its rearward side, of axial depth at least equal to the desired relative axial movement between said elements; and in which said abutments constitute annular spring retaining walls of external diameter substantially equal to that of said recesses and enclosing and compressing said spring means within said recesses.

15. In a variable pitch diameter pulley of the type described, a rotary power transmission member of generally cylindrical external configuration, a pair of annular end flange elements each having a frusto-conical end face and a substantially complete cylindrical bearing surface mounted in coaxial axially slidable relation on said member, said end flange elements having their frusto-conical faces in mutually facing relation, at least one pair of intermediate annular frustoaxially slidable relation to said member and each' other between said end flangeelements; each of said intermediate flange elements :having a central bearing opening fitting said member in axially slidable'relation and at least one axially extending aperture therethrough radially outward of said central bearing opening; at least one rigid tie member positively secured to and extending rearwardly from each of said intermediate'flange elements, through the aperture of the other said intermediate element and extensible therebeyond, said tie elements being connected in axially flxed relation to said end flange elements, respectively, to fixtheirrespective intermediate flange elements in'axial "position relative to similarly facing end flange elements; and axially resilient spring means carried by said intermediate flange elements in the annular space between their back surfaces and surrounding said tie means, said spring means being compressed between said back surfaces and acting equally and oppositely thereon to resiliently urge said intermediate flange elements axially apart and said end flange elements axially toward one another. V

16. The device of claim 15, in which each of said intermediate flanges has in its rearward surface an annular recess of axial depth equal to at least half the minimum fully compressed axial length of said spring means, said spring means being seated in said recesses. s

' r EUGENE J. OTTO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

